Suicide watch at post

Alarmed by the apparent suicides of four soldiers over three days, Fort Hood's top commander this week ordered a series of measures that included identifying anyone in uniform who might be a suicide risk.

Published 5:46 pm, Friday, October 1, 2010

Alarmed by the apparent suicides of four soldiers over three days, Fort Hood's top commander this week ordered a series of measures that included identifying anyone in uniform who might be a suicide risk.

Maj. Gen. William Grimsley ordered lower-level commanders to quickly implement a soldier wellness and safeguard order for enlistees no higher than sergeant.

It included inspections of all barracks and privately owned cars on the post, as well visits to homes - a move that sparked outrage among some GIs.

Grimsley told the San Antonio Express-News he didn't yet know much about the four decorated soldiers, all Iraq war veterans, who were found dead over last weekend. He concluded, however, that there were hints of trouble in other suicides among his troops this year.

"In the others, the 14 that we know we've had here, several of these soldiers would never have been considered traditional high-risk soldiers," Grimsley said. "They all had stressors on their life that many of their leaders didn't know ... or they knew and didn't implement what I consider to be effective controls."

The directive, though designed to stop suicides, angered some soldiers after they were told they would have to allow inspections of their homes off post - which Grimley's executive officer, Col. Diane Battalgia, said she believed is allowed by Army regulation. The rule aims to ensure soldiers live in safe homes.

One veteran GI, asking not to be identified due to possible retribution, said a number of soldiers have called Fort Hood's inspector general to complain.

"The order that came down to our unit was that 100 percent searches would be carried out on all housing and we are basically being strong-armed into thinking we would have to give consent or there would be repercussions," the soldier said. "We don't think suicide by other soldiers is probable cause to search our homes."

A two-tour Iraq veteran, Franklin, 31, suffered one gunshot wound; his wife was shot four times. Investigations continue in all four cases, post spokesman Chris Haug said Friday.

The other GIs were:

Pvt. Antonio Eduardo Heath, 24. An Iraq veteran, he was found dead Sept. 25 of an apparent gunshot wound in Temple.

Master Sgt. Baldemar Gonzales, 39, of Victoria. A veteran of the Gulf War and the Iraq invasion, he was found dead last Saturday.

Sgt. Timothy Ryan Rinella, 29. Found dead last Saturday in Copperas Cove of an apparent gunshot wound, he'd served three tours in Iraq and a fourth in Afghanistan.

The post - home for much of the Iraq war to a pair of divisions that deployed three times - has had more suicides this year than any other since 2003. The Army itself had a record number of suicides last year, 163.

The rising death toll has come despite an array of Army programs for troops and families under stress, including a 24-hour crisis hot line. Fort Hood has a Resiliency Campus anchored in a chapel, as well as another facility that gives family counseling.

Grimsley said he knew his directive, issued Monday, would interrupt training, but said it had become evident to him and others that battalion-level commanders had to become more involved to find GIs at risk of suicide.

The directive ordered battalion and brigade commanders to review soldiers under them. They'll be required to conduct "health and welfare" visits to residences off the post and review privately owned weapons registration records, in addition to home inspections on Fort Hood.

Weapons off post aren't required to be registered unless they are used on a Fort Hood firing range.

Battaglia, the executive officer, said GIs would be asked if they had weapons in their off-post homes, and are expected to answer honestly.

The idea behind the directive is for commanders to know more about their soldiers, including their personal lives - within the limits of the law, Grimsley said.

"What I would say is I am trying to help re-establish the educational basis for leaders so that they know how to establish the appropriate environment for soldiers to be trained and ready, thrive, grow, etc.," he said.

"Now, that might be perceived as intrusive by some subordinates, and if by intrusive we take the definition that they are perhaps going a little more deeply into the lives of their soldiers than the soldier might want or be comfortable, then yes," he added.